A Religion of Joy
In 1906, when the extension of The Mother Church was to be dedicated, thousands of Scientists poured into Boston to attend the ceremonies. A writer in the Boston Herald made this statement concerning the visitors: "I do not think I have ever seen more cheerful looking groups of people than I have met in Boston during the past few days. Their happy faces would make sunshine on the grayest day." This statement appears in a report published in Miscellany by Mrs. Eddy. My p 87;
Today Christian Scientists are maintaining the same standard of joy, because their religion proclaims the glad tidings heralded by Christ Jesus. "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matt. 10:7;
Mrs. Eddy, who revealed to this age the Science of Christianity, makes clear the mental nature of God's kingdom in the following definition: "Heaven, Harmony; the reign of Spirit; government by divine Principle; spirituality; bliss; the atmosphere of Soul." Science and Health, p. 587;
What greater joy can be realized than that experienced through the understanding that heaven is not a far-off paradise attainable through death but a divine state of consciousness to be enjoyed now to the extent that the facts of harmonious being are accepted and practiced in daily living!
Irvine C. Tomlinson quotes Mrs. Eddy as follows: "'In my childhood, she said, 'I was taught that religion was a solemn, altogether dolorous affair. Now I know that it should be just the opposite — religion should beget joy and good cheer." Twelve Years with Mary Baker Eddy, p. 202 :
In contrast to scholastic theology, which condemns man as a sinful, debased mortal, Christian Science exalts man. God's glorious likeness, whose joyous prerogative is to image forth the qualities of his heavenly Father as Jesus commanded, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Matt. 5:48 ;
This Science, which is in accord with the teachings of Christ Jesus, is a far cry from being a system of optimistic thinking— looking only on the bright side and overlooking evil in its various forms. This religion demands solving, not ignoring, human problems. Looking through the lens of divine intelligence, the progressive Scientist recognizes each problem as an opportunity for the unfoldment of a higher consciousness, which is attained through the correct application of the rules of scientific mental healing as set forth in Mrs. Eddy's writings.
The Preacher declared, "God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy." Eccl. 2:26; Therefore joy, with its concomitants—happiness, gratitude, cheerfulness, gladness, and so on—is an attribute of Soul, God, and is inherent in man because of his unseverable oneness, or unity, with God, the divine Principle of his being. Because this radiant quality is ever present, it is demonstrable at all times wherever one may be and even in the face of adverse circumstances.
"How," one may ask, "can I possibly be joyful when this pain seems so real to me?" To this one, Christian Science brings encouragement by declaring that God, infinite good, did not create evil in any form. When it is clearly seen that God made all that is real and pronounced His creation wholly good, as the Bible declares, the mesmeric acceptance of discord as real will lose its foothold in human consciousness, and harmony will be demonstrated as a present fact.
What joy and freedom come to the Scientist when he learns that in solving problems of disease, lack, or any other difficulty he is not contending with evil as an entity against which he must fight! He is proving its unreality by demonstrating the omnipresence of the one Mind, God, in whom all being is perfect and forever intact. The full recognition of man's true identity as an individual reflection of infinite intelligence, or Mind, destroys evil and delineates upon human thought and body the truth of harmonious being.
Mindful of the healing and comforting effect of glorifying God through songs of praise and thanksgiving, Mrs. Eddy has given music a prominent place in the order of services in Churches of Christ, Scientist, throughout the world. How often thought has been uplifted by the congregational singing of our hymns or by the solo's message of hope and courage or by the inspirational music from the church organ !
Mrs. Eddy says, "Whatever inspires with wisdom, Truth, or Love—be it song, sermon, or Science—blesses the human family with crumbs of comfort from Christ's table, feeding the hungry and giving living waters to the thirsty." Science and Health, p. 234;
The Holy Scriptures contain numerous accounts of the triumph of Truth when paeans of praise to God were rendered in the face of severe challenges. In the sixteenth chapter of Acts we read that Paul and Silas were cast into prison for preaching the Word of God and that at midnight, while they prayed and sang praises to God, the prison doors were opened, and they were liberated. The writer recalls that she too lifted her voice in praise to God at the midnight of an unsolved physical problem and was permanently freed from the distressing, painful condition.
Sometimes it is asked why joy and gratitude contribute to healing. May it not be because these Soul-derived qualities denote the presence in human consciousness of the Christ, Truth, wherein divine light dispels the dark shadows of mortal belief and brings to full view the immortal facts concerning man's present perfection as the son of God?
When the seventy disciples whom Jesus had sent forth to heal and to preach the gospel returned with joy he said to them: "Behold, I give unto you power...over all the power of the enemy.... Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Luke 10:19, 20.
Dedicated Christian Scientists, disciples of today, rejoice because their "names are written in heaven"; here on earth they stand the true nature of God's kingdom. Equipped with this spiritual understanding, they go forth with gladness to demonstrate the truths expounded by their religion and thus help in bringing Spirit's kingdom of peace and joy and blessedness to full light in the world today. Is not this joyous activity?
